Gardening Questions: What is happening to my Japanese Magnolia

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cyndigail Ocala, FL November 6, 2008 5:40 PM	It has lost almost all of it's leaves. Its not dead yet but not looking good. I planted it in the spring and it has done fine until the last few months. I am in North Central Florida, is it normal for it to lose it;s leaves. This is a picture of one of the leaves. Is it a fungus? Help Thanks Cyndi View Larger
kwanjin West Valley City, UT (Zone 5a) November 6, 2008 5:50 PM	Can we see the whole tree?
cyndigail Ocala, FL November 6, 2008 9:56 PM	Okay here is the tree. Sorry to be so long about posting pics. I will send another photo too. View Larger
cyndigail Ocala, FL November 6, 2008 10:00 PM	Another picture of Japanese Magnolia. Well I am not sure what I have sent in what. View Larger
dipsydoodle Newcastle upon Tyne (United Kingdom) November 7, 2008 7:36 AM	It might be loosing it's leaves purelu because its autumn?
JuneyBug South Central Ozarks, MO (Zone 5b) November 7, 2008 9:43 AM	If it is still alive, it is just an overstressed transplant. They will go into fall earlier than normal, cause they aren't normal yet. During the winter months water well weekly. (and say that fast, three times) ;-) I've had nothing but trouble when I've planted shrubs or trees outside of the fall season. It isn't worth the extra effort. It takes a good 3 years to take off and grow when it's shocked like that. The fall transplants grow really well, but a bit slow, for those years.
NatureLover1950 Vicksburg, MS (Zone 8a) November 7, 2008 10:02 AM	I agree with nanbernier--it's very probably transplant shock mostly from having to use so much of it's energy to survive the summer. I also plant all my trees and shrubs out in the fall as it's easier for them to work on putting down good strong roots during the winter. Like me, you are in the south where it's just that much harder for newly planted trees to survive due to heat and not as much rain as they need. It's been my experience that I can water new plants but city water just can't hold a candle to rainwater. In the spring when it begins to grow it's new leaves, try watering in some Super Thrive--it will do wonders for it.
cyndigail Ocala, FL November 7, 2008 2:48 PM	I planted in the spring and you still think its shock. It looked great until now. I didn't think magnolias shed the leaves but maybe they do. Not having luck with trees here.
JuneyBug South Central Ozarks, MO (Zone 5b) November 7, 2008 4:29 PM	It is definatly transplant shock. This can last 18+ months. It should pull out of it in spring, if you keep an eye on it's needs. I've had them collapse and die during the summer. Hopefully yours is still alive and kickin' (out some more roots). When planted at the growth times of year - there are not all of those roots to support it and it suffers.
NatureLover1950 Vicksburg, MS (Zone 8a) November 7, 2008 4:35 PM	The first year a tree is planted it's common for it to drop it's leaves earlier than the more established trees and this would be part of the "shock" they go through while they are trying to establish a good root system. But another possibility is fire ants--I'm sure you have them down there? Depending on weather conditions, they don't always have a visible mound. I lost several trees to them before I figured out their game. Just an example is that if it's been hot and dry for a while, they go deep into the ground but if their nest is around the roots of your tree, they are still doing it harm. For one thing, they allow too much air around the roots which causes them to dry out. Even if you don't see a mound, run a pointed stick or metal rod into the ground in several places all the way around the tree to see if any ants come to the surface. They will kill a plant dead as a door nail. If they are present, treat with fire ant poison all the way around the tree, leave it for two or three days so the poison will have time to work, then water the tree well to settle the soil back around the roots.
flowerfantasy Washington, IN (Zone 6a) November 7, 2008 6:09 PM	I don't have any pictures but you were talking about plant shock and losing the leaves if planted in the spring, well they weren't planted in the spring but somewhere around the middle to the end of October. They are American White pines and the needles have turned brown but not fallen off and the small trunks still seem to be alive. Could this be what has happened to them?
JuneyBug South Central Ozarks, MO (Zone 5b) November 7, 2008 7:51 PM	Sure. Do they still have the ends of the brantches covered with green? The pines always lose alot of needles in the fall anyway, it looks real bad on the young ones. As long as the tips of the branches are green, the plant is AOK
WeeNel Ayrshire Scotland (United Kingdom) November 8, 2008 8:29 PM	The other thing about these Magnolia plants/trees is they like a bit of shade, lots of damp compost /leaf mould around the roots to help keep the roots cool and also need some acidity in the soil so perhaps it is the growing conditions you have got wrong, It is not too late to move it if it was only planted this year, either that add plenty peat etc around it as a mulch to allow it to rest for winter and restart it's growing cycle come spring, they do loose there leaves for winter here in the cooler climates and the flowers arrive each spring before the new leaves, dont prune it thinking this will help it as you will loose all the spring flowering buds, do a soil check to see how much acidity you have in your soil, you can get a soil testing kit from the store for a few dollars. good luck. WeeNel.
cyndigail Ocala, FL November 10, 2008 12:15 PM	Well I guess I will just hope for the best because there is no shade in my yard. I will try to find a testing kit for the soil. I was walking the dogs last night and noticed Magnolia trees in the neighborhood still had there leave yet I realize the have been in the ground for many years. Thanks for all the help you guys! Cyndi
ecrane3 Dublin, CA (Zone 9a) November 10, 2008 4:24 PM	There are lots of different magnolias, some are evergreen and some are deciduous. The ones you're seeing in your neighborhood may be a different kind than yours. A couple other things I would check based on the last picture you posted...first of all make sure you don't have leaves or mulch piled up around the base of the trunk, that can cause fungal problems. Also, check that it's not planted too deep--you should be able to see the trunk start to flare out at the bottom right before the roots start, if you can't see that flare then it's planted too deep which can also cause fungal problems.

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